74 LUTHER BURBANK 



that the spiny cactus descended from a smooth- 

 slabbed line of forefathers and how these old 

 characteristics have been not only reestablished 

 but accentuated all of these things will be ex- 

 plained in due course where the discoveries in- 

 volved and the working methods employed may 

 be made applicable as well to the improvement 

 of other plants. 



It suffices, here, to say that, beginning with 

 this simple observation and reading the history 

 of the cactus from its present-day appearance, 

 I was able to see outlined the method by which 

 a plant yielding rich food and forage and most 

 delicious fruits has been produced, which, as 

 much as any other plant, promises sooner or 

 later to solve the present-day problem of higher 

 living costs. 



"But," I have been asked, "do you mean that 

 the cactus foresaw the coming of an enemy 

 which was to destroy it? Is it believable that a 

 plant, like a nation expecting war, could armor 

 itself in advance of the necessity? And if the 

 cactus did not know that an enemy was later to 

 destroy it, would it not have been destroyed by 

 the enemy before it had the opportunity of pre- 

 paring a means of defense?" 



Let us look into the history of the plant and 

 see the answer to these questions. 



